Lin Feilai’s head was starting to throb.

He had thought the assassin Liu Ying hired was meant for Gu Zheng.

To ensure the two would be at each other’s throats, they had even been preparing to go to Qingshi County to eliminate the rest of the Gu Family.

But as it turned out, the assassin went after Zhong Tianhu!

A spy from Kang Country took the opportunity to launch a surprise attack, killing Zhong Tianhu on the street.

Things had changed so fast that Lin Feilai could barely process it.

’Was Zhong Tianhu the one Liu Ying really wanted to kill?’

It wasn’t impossible.

Zhong Tianlang wasn’t dead, just in a coma. There was no telling when he might wake up.

If Zhong Tianhu snatched the title of Crown Prince while he was unconscious, it would be too late by the time Zhong Tianlang woke up.

But if Zhong Tianhu died now, the situation would be different.

Even if Zhong Tianbao lucked into the Crown Prince title for the time being.

But with Zhong Tianbao’s level of talent, Zhong Tianlang could take the title back anytime he wanted once he awoke!

Therefore, Liu Ying had plenty of motive to hire an assassin to kill Zhong Tianhu.

Especially now that Zhong Tianhu was dead.

Killing Gu Zheng’s family now would be pointless. Not only that, but if word got out, it would push Gu Zheng completely into Liu Ying’s camp, causing him to join forces with her to wipe out all of Zhong Tianhu’s men!

A Heroic Body Realm expert with no family to worry about was more terrifying than any assassin.

None of Zhong Tianhu’s men, Lin Feilai included, would be able to escape.

If a Heroic Body Realm expert was dead set on killing someone, they couldn’t escape death even if they fled to Kang Country, the Great Zhou Capital City, or the Outer Extreme Land.

Under these circumstances, Lin Feilai would have to be an idiot to go to Qingshi County.

The headache for him now was whether or not he should return to Changying Prefecture City.

The intel he received indicated that Liu Ying’s people and Zhong Tianhu’s men, like him, were locked in a brutal struggle.

Going back would mean getting sucked into the vortex, and he could easily get killed by an arrow in the back!

’In that case...’

"To hell with this!"

"I’m not going back!"

...

...

「Changying Prefecture City.」

In a dilapidated courtyard in the outer city.

"The millennial change, the Pupa Pool, the Spirit Realm..."

Gu Zheng mused, "Have all your companions emerged as well?"

"Some are still slumbering. About half have come out."

Chen Beihan answered respectfully, "Our organization mostly operates on an individual basis. We rarely appear in the same place in teams or groups. We only gather when something important happens."

"What about the other three organizations on par with yours?" Gu Zheng asked. "Is it the same for them?"

"The ’Gods’ organization is different. Their members tend to appear in teams."

Chen Beihan explained, "The ’Gods’ also have the shortest history, only three thousand years. But that bunch is the most arrogant; they look down on us."

"The Gods?"

Gu Zheng found it odd. "The organization is called ’The Gods’? Aren’t they being a bit high-profile?"

The Gods!

To look down upon all others, to stand above all other organizations and people—that was what it meant to be called The Gods!

"Yes, they’re called ’The Gods’."

Chen Beihan said with contempt, "That group is the most shameless of them all, always singing their own praises. They want to be the head of the Four Major Organizations, even the head of the Noble Families. They should take a good look at themselves and see if they even have what it takes!"

’...Alright then.’

Gu Zheng was left speechless. He looked at Chen Beihan’s blind eyes. "What’s wrong with your eyes?"

Under Gu Zheng’s Eyes of Golden Flame, Chen Beihan’s eyes glowed with a cold white light, a strange energy gathering within them. It was obvious he wasn’t truly blind.

As for Chen Beihan’s own appearance—he was actually a handsome, charming, and mature-looking man in his thirties—that was less important.

"Replying to Master, this subordinate is cultivating the ’Demon Spirit Tribulation Eye’."

Chen Beihan answered respectfully, "The ’Demon Spirit Tribulation Eye’ requires three hundred years of blindness to cultivate successfully. Of course, with a fortuitous encounter, it can be completed sooner."

’Demon Spirit Tribulation Eye?’

’So such a magical and domineering Pupil Technique actually existed.’

Gu Zheng had only glanced at the records about it in the materials provided by the Demon Slayer Bureau.

According to the records, once the Demon Spirit Tribulation Eye was mastered, it was the bane of all Demon Fiends!

Even a fourth-rank Demon Fiend would be helpless against it and could only flee.

The same applied to humans. Even a King’s Body would have no choice but to dodge the Light Technique projected from the eyes.

Tribulation Eye, Tribulation Eye.

A pair of eyes that were the tribulation of others!

However, it was incredibly difficult to cultivate. The requirement of being blind for three hundred years alone was something few people could achieve.

In the state of blindness, one was no different from a truly blind person.

However, once one cultivated to the Alien Body: Shadow, they could "see" the outside world through their senses.

’Chen Beihan is ruthless with others, but he’s just as ruthless with himself.’

"From now on, you are forbidden from eating people."

Gu Zheng said calmly, "Demon Fiends are fair game."

"Yes!"

...

Chen Beihan, this Seal Slave, wasn’t exceptionally strong, but he had lived long enough to have experienced the last two millennial changes.

He knew far more than Cao Handing or Mo Jiateng.

Gu Zheng asked him about many things before letting him leave.

Zhong Tianhu had been assassinated on the street.

For the next period of time, Changying Prefecture City would surely be under lockdown.

The Princess Consort, Liu Ying, and Zhong Tianhu’s mother were currently fighting fiercely.

For the time being, there was no need for Gu Zheng to make a move himself, lest he arouse Zhong Zhengtang’s suspicions.

Leaving Jia Shisan to keep watch, it wouldn’t be too late to find another opportunity to collect his debt.

...

「Back in Fengzhou State City.」

Gu Zheng first made good on his promise to Pang Hu, buying it a large bag of dried fish and several portions of Spirit-Eating Ants.

It was a good thing another large batch of Spirit-Eating Ants had just hatched.

Afterward, he went to report to Xie Bisheng.

Xie Bisheng took out a prepared letter of recommendation and two Sealing Sword Talismans, handing them to Gu Zheng.

"One thing."

Xie Bisheng said calmly, "When you go to the Capital City, don’t get too close to the members of the royal family."

"Yes!"

Gu Zheng took the letter and the talismans, replying with a serious expression, "I will be sure to remember."

’He was secretly delighted.’

’Xie Bisheng had actually given him two Sealing Sword Talismans.’

’He hadn’t even used the one from last time.’

’That made three Sealing Sword Talismans in total, equivalent to three of Xie Bisheng’s full-power killing blows!’

"Mm."

Xie Bisheng looked at Gu Zheng and suddenly sighed with emotion. "I believe it won’t be long before you catch up to me."

"...I believe it won’t be long before you, Master Xie, also advance to the King’s Body," Gu Zheng echoed.

’That was a difficult comment to respond to.’

’The three stages of the Heroic Body were primarily about comprehension.’

’One had to constantly seek enlightenment and enter a state of epiphany.’

’Breaking through by adding points was secondary.’

’Of course, he still couldn’t stop acquiring Demon Points.’

"You don’t need to comfort me."

Xie Bisheng raised a hand. "Go home for a visit before you leave for the Capital City. Once you’re promoted to Demon-slaying Grand General, you’ll be even busier."

"Yes!" Gu Zheng bowed.

"One more thing."

A glint flashed in Xie Bisheng’s eyes as he sent a Divine Strange Sound Transmission to Gu Zheng. "If Ji Tianping comes looking for you, don’t panic. Just act normal. And don’t get too close to him. As for the reason, Meng the Big Nose should have already told you what kind of person Ji Tianping is."

"Yes, I will remember!" Gu Zheng replied aloud.

’Meng Taiqi warned him, and now Xie Bisheng was warning him too.’

’It seemed that Ji Tianping, the number one expert in Fengzhou and the Commander of the Demon Slayer Bureau, was truly not a very good person.’

’The Commander had been in seclusion for so long, yet he was still at the peak of the Heroic Body Realm.’

’He hadn’t pushed open the door to the King’s Body Realm in the slightest; he hadn’t even seen a crack!’

...

Originally, Gu Zheng had wanted to exchange his merits for an Upper Grade True Skill for controlling hidden weapons, which would make it easier to use the Divine Weapon Fragment after he cultivated it.

But now that both Meng Taiqi and Xie Bisheng had warned him, and since Gu Zheng knew that the last Divine Weapon Fragment was in Ji Tianping’s hands, he naturally gave up on the idea.

Promotion to Demon-slaying Grand General required a trip to the Capital City.

The issuance of merits, however, could be done in advance.

Gu Zheng had made a trip to northern Fengzhou and earned three hundred and fifty Great Merits.

Added to what he had already accumulated, his total far exceeded the five hundred Great Merits required for promotion to Demon-slaying Grand General.

Heroic Body Realm.

Accumulating five hundred Great Merits.

These were the two conditions for promotion to Demon-slaying Grand General.

Gu Zheng met both. He just needed to go to the Capital City for confirmation and to receive his Grand General’s Seal.

Of course, there was also a Middle-Grade Spiritual Soldier saber and a suit of Great Sun Armor.

Every suit of Great Sun Armor was at least a Middle-Grade Spiritual Soldier!

He didn’t exchange for the hidden weapon True Skill.

Instead, Gu Zheng exchanged for a large number of Rejuvenation Pills, Anomalous Pills, and Profound Pills.

He also exchanged for two Lower-Grade Spiritual Soldiers.

He had no use for them himself, but other members of the Gu Family could.

...

After packing up a few things.

Gu Zheng prepared to make a trip home before heading to the Capital City.

Unexpectedly, Ji Tianping came to his door.

"Greetings, Lord Commander!"

In the small, independent courtyard, Gu Zheng bowed respectfully.

"Gu Zheng, Gu Ping’an."

Ji Tianping, a man of medium height and refined features, had a scholarly air about him. He looked more like a teacher than the powerful and influential Commander of the Demon Slayer Bureau.

After entering the courtyard, Ji Tianping’s gentle gaze swept around before finally landing on Pang Hu, who was curled up asleep on Gu Zheng’s shoulder.

"This must be that Little Spirit Beast, right? Very nice."

"Thank you, My Lord," Gu Zheng replied, neither humble nor arrogant. "I wonder why Your Lordship has sought me out..."

"No need to be nervous."

Ji Tianping raised a hand and smiled. "I just came to ask, Ping’an, what did you obtain after killing the third-rank Silver Bone on the other side of the Grand Canyon Mountain passage?"

"Is My Lord referring to the Demon Pills?"

As he spoke, Gu Zheng took two unrefined Demon Pills from his Storage Pouch and offered them to Ji Tianping. "If Lord Ji needs them, I am willing to offer these two Demon Pills to..."

"No, no."

A trace of conflict flickered in Ji Tianping’s eyes. He waved his hand with a wry smile. "Ping’an, you misunderstand. I didn’t come here to ask you for Demon Pills. If Grand General Xie found out, wouldn’t he chase me down and fight me for three days and three nights?"

He shook his head as he spoke. "It seems I was overthinking things. Go on your way, Ping’an. Just pretend I was never here."

With that, he sighed and turned to leave.

"Take care, My Lord!"

Gu Zheng remained in a bow, watching Ji Tianping slowly depart.

’Inwardly, however, he was sneering.’

’Trying to trick me?’

’Does he take me for a three-year-old?’

Ji Tianping looked young, perhaps in his early forties, but in reality, he was an old fellow who had lived for over a hundred years, just like Xie Bisheng and Meng Taiqi.

’The old bastard was asking him about his gains after killing the third-rank Silver Bone.’

’He was undoubtedly suspicious, wondering if the Divine Weapon Fragment hidden inside the third-rank Silver Bone was present in every third-rank Storm Bone Demon Fiend!’

’But as long as Gu Zheng didn’t say anything, Ji Tianping would never know.’

’Even if he returned to the Grand Canyon Mountain passage and barged into the Storm Bone Demon Fiend territory on the other side, he wouldn’t find out.’

’Right now, the only other being who knew of the "Holy Weapon’s" existence, Pingbo Bone, had become his Seal Slave.’

’If Ji Tianping tried to confront it, Gu Zheng would know immediately.’

’Given Ji Tianping’s character, if he had the guts to go to the other side of the passage, he would have done so long ago.’

’As for trying to force the information out of Gu Zheng?’

’Did he think Gu Zheng’s Heroic Body Realm was just for show?’

’Besides, Xie Bisheng was always holding down the fort at the State City’s Demon Slayer Bureau headquarters.’

’If Ji Tianping dared to use force...’

’...it was uncertain who would come out on top!’